Flashbacks of a Fool

(15) 113min

DRAMA

Between Bond outings Daniel Craig has made good use of his greatly increased clout to get this interesting, if not outstanding drama about the repercussions of childhood folly, green-lit. Set in present-day California and an English seaside resort circa 1972, it tells the story of Joe Scott (Craig), a one-time major Hollywood star whose reckless abandon with booze, drugs and women has destroyed his career.

Written and directed by Baillie Walsh – a veteran music filmmaker who’s worked with New Order, Massive Attack and Oasis and who here makes his feature debut courtesy of old pal Craig – Flashbacks of A Fool neatly juxtaposes the wonderful innocence of Scott’s youth with the crushing experience of his adult life. And the visual correlation between the past and present is nicely realised through the handsome photography of John Mathieson, Ridley Scott’s regular lens man who also shot the film that introduced Walsh and Craig – John Maybury’s exceptional Love is the Devil. However, despite good performances from the supporting cast - Harry Eden as young Joe, Olivia Williams, Helen McCrory, Jodhi May and particularly Miriam Karlin (the Cat Lady from A Clockwork Orange) – the rather pedestrian flashback sections of the film fail to excite the interest they should. Which is a shame, given the quality of the rest of the film.

Set in present-day California and an English seaside resort circa 1972, Joe Scott (Craig between Bond outings), is a washed up Hollywood star who recalls a traumatic teenage experience that leads to professional success and personal self-destruction. Good supporting performances and rather pedestrian flashbacks make for…